Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-09-17
CHAPTER XI.-CoNTINUEp.


selves IN our spare suits Of shooting clothes,
Of which We each had one, keeping on our
mail shirts underneath. As for my appear
ance, all the fine clothes in the worl could
never make il otherwise than scrubby and in
significant; but Sir Henry looked what he is,
. magnificent man III his oearly new tweed
suit, CATERS and boots AlphonSe also got
himself up to kill, giving an extra turn to his
enormous mustaches. Even Old Cmslopo-
gas, who was not in general way given 10
the vain adorning Of his body. took some oil
out OF the lantern and bit of tow, and
polished up his head ring with it till it shone
like Goods patent leather boots Then he
put on the mail shirt Sir Henry had given
him and his -moocha" and having cleaned
up Inkosi- kaas little, stood forth complete
All this while, having hoisted the sail again
- soon as We had finished bathing. We had
bsen progressing steadily for the land, or,
rather. for the mouth of a great river Pre-
oently-in all about an hour and half after
The little boat had left us-we saw emerging
from the river or harbor a large number of
boats, ranging up to ten or twelve tons burden.
One Of these was propelled by twenty four
0ars, and most OF the rest sailed Looking
through the glass we soon made out that the
row boat was an official vessel. her crew being
ali dressed in a sort Of uniform, while on the
half deck forward stood an old man Of ven
srsble appearance and with flowing white
bard and q sword strapped to his side, who
was evidently the commander Of the craft
The other boats were apparently occupied by
people brought out by curiosity, and were
rowing or sailing toward US as quickly as they
could
-Now for it, said l. What is the betting.
ArS they going to be friendly or TO put an
end to usg
Nobody could answer this question, and
not liking the warlike appearance OF the Old
gentleman and his sword, We felt little
anxious
Just then Good spied a school Of hippopotam
On the water about 200 yards off Us. and sug-
gested that it would not be bad plan TO I'M
pre0 the natives with . sense of our power
BY shooting some of them if possible This,
unluckily enough. struck us as a good idea,
and accordingly We at once got out our eight
bosO rides, for which We still had few
cartridges left, and prepared for action.
rhsre were four Of the animals big bull, a
COW, and two young ones. one three parts
grown. We got up to sbem without diff
Guilty, the great animals contenting them
selves with sinking down into the water and
their excessive tameness struck me as being
peculiar. When the advancing boats were
about 500 yards away Sir Henry opened the
ball by firing at the three parts grown young
oDa The eavy bullet struck it fair between
the eyes and crashing through the skull.
killed it, and it sank. leaving a long train Of
blood behind it. At the same moment
fred at the COW and Good at the old bull.
Ny shot took effect, but not fatally, and
down went the hippopotamus with q pro-
digious splashing, only to rise again pres
entity blowing and grunting furiously, dye
ing all the water round her crimson, when /
killed her with the left barrel Good, who
h an sxecrable shot, missed the head Of the
bull altogether. the bullet merely cutting
the side of his face as it passed. On glanc-
ing up, after had fired my second shot.
perceived that the people we had fallen
among were evidently ignorant Of the nature
Of fire arms, for the CONSERVATION caused by
our shots, and their effect upon the animals
was prodigioua Some Of the parties in the
boats began to cry out with fear: others
turned and made of as hard as they could:
and even the old gentleman with the sword
looked puzzled and alarmed, and halted his
big rowboat. We had, however, but little
time for observation, for just then the old
bull, rendered furious by the wound he had
received. rose fair within forty yards of US.
glaring savagely. We all fired and hit him
in various places, and down he went, badly
wounded. Curiosity now began 10 overcome
the fear Of the onlookers, and some of them
sailed On up close TO US among these being
the man and woman whom We had first seen
. couple Of hours or SO before. who drew up
almost alongside. Just then the great brute
rose again within ten yards OF their boat and
instantly with a roar Of fury made at it open
mouthed The woman shriekei and the man
tried to We the boat way, but without sue
ceG. In another second saw the huge red
iawssand cleaning ivories close with crunch
on the frail craft, taking an enormous mouth
full out of its side and capsizing it Down
went the boat, leaving its occupants strug-
Cling in the wafor. Next moment, before We
could do anything toward saving them, the
huge and furious creature was up again and
making open moUthed at the poor girl, who
was struggling in the water Lifting my
rifle just as the grinding jaws We're about to
Close on her, fired over head right down the
hippopotamus' throat. Over he went and
commenced turning round and round, snort
ing and blowing red streams Of blood through
his nostrils Before he could recover himself,
ooWesef, iet niin nave the other parrei III
TIE SIDE of the throat, and that finished him.
He never moved or struggled again, but In
SANITY sank Our next effort was directed
toward saving the girl, the rlan having swum
on toward another boat; and In this We
were fortunately successful, pulling her into
the canoe tamid the shouts of the spectators
considerably exhausted and frightened. but
etherwlse unhurt
Aean"h'~ the boats had gathered together
ss q distance and Wa couId see that their o.